


under the mistletoe

by ColorMeParanoid



Category: 9-1-1 (TV)
Genre: Christmas Special, First Kiss, Fluff, Getting Together, Holidays, Idiots in Love, Jealous Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV), Light Angst, M/M, Mistletoe, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:06:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28132140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ColorMeParanoid/pseuds/ColorMeParanoid
Summary: For a long, excruciating moment Eddie just stood there and stared, willing his face to remain impassive instead of glowering at Chimney who was frantically wiping his mouth. The kiss lasted less than a second really, and it was clear that Buck was one who initiated it. And yet Eddie's jealous side did not care. All it knew was that Chimney got to kiss Buck first and that just wasn't right.If anyone was kissing Buck in this station, it should have been Eddie.OR the one where Buck keeps kissing everyone but Eddie, and it's starting to drive Eddie a little crazy
Relationships: Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)
Comments: 26
Kudos: 420





	under the mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> Titles are the WORST. 
> 
> Not beta read

When Eddie came to work that morning, he was greeted with groans and hoots coming from the direction of the locker room. It wasn't unusual enough to cause concern but he couldn't deny his curiosity about what was happening.

He walked into the locker room just in time to see Buck lay one on Chimney, a kiss right on the mouth that had Eddie's eyebrows jumping into the stratosphere. Of all of the people in the station, those two would be the least likely ones he'd ever thought would end up kissing. In large part because Chimney was currently dating and about to have a baby with Buck's _sister_.

For a long, excruciating moment Eddie just stood there and stared, willing his face to remain impassive instead of glowering at Chimney who was frantically wiping his mouth. The kiss lasted less than a second really, and it was clear that Buck was one who initiated it. And yet Eddie's jealous side did not care. All it knew was that Chimney got to kiss Buck first and that just wasn't right.

If anyone was kissing Buck in this station, it should have been Eddie.

It wasn't until Chimney tilted his head up and scowled at the ceiling that Eddie took notice of a sprig of mistletoe hanging above his head from the ceiling. Oh. That explained the kiss, then, but didn't help ease Eddie's annoyance with Chimney any less, however irrational that might be.

He forced his shoulders to relax and laughed and teased Chimney along with the rest of the team, telling himself to get a grip. It was just one kiss, a joke. It would all be forgotten about soon enough.

But as it turned out, Buck kissing Chimney was only the start of it.

Apparently, someone had decided that it was a brilliant idea to deck out the whole station as soon as December started, and they were really liberal with their use and positioning of the mistletoe. People who were uncomfortable just went for a kiss on the cheek, and unfortunately for Eddie, Buck wasn't one of them.

No matter how hard Eddie tried, he couldn't get the image of Buck kissing Chimney out of his head. Especially because it kept happening, over and over and over again because neither one of them had the attention span to keep track of all of the mistletoe. It didn't help that Buck found the whole thing hilarious, threatening to kiss Chimney whenever he was being especially prickly and at this point, Chimney was basically running away from Buck when they were anywhere in the vicinity of the station.

Eddie's irrational bouts of jealousy didn't just end there, however. Over the course of the few weeks leading up to Christmas, Buck ended up kissing just about everyone in the station, be it on the lips or on the cheek. It was like he was some sort of magnet, always finding himself standing under one of those strategically placed twigs with someone else.

Never Eddie, though. Not a single time. He hadn't stopped so low to arrange them ending up under one on purpose, but if this kept going, he was going to have to take drastic measures.

"That can't be sanitary," Eddie muttered, stabbing viciously at the potatoes on his plate as he watched Buck kiss the new recruit. It lasted for barely a second but it was enough to make him seethe. The guy just started working here a week ago, for fucks sake. Eddie had seniority. That kiss belonged to _him_.

Hen gave him a sympathetic look from across the table and Chimney slapped him on the shoulder with a grin.

"Come on, Diaz. Where is your Christmas spirit?"

Eddie didn't even bother responding. It was possible he might have been giving Chimney a bit of a cold shoulder lately, because he was definitely that kind of petty.

It was safe to say that his year, his Christmas spirit was nonexistent. He'd tried to be a good sport about it, join in on the joke and ignore his own feelings but he'd given up on that when Buck ended up kissing Lena for the _second_ time in just as many days.

"If it happens the third time, you'll have to buy me dinner," she'd joked and gave Eddie a pointed look that was far too knowing for her own good. It seemed that he wasn't as subtle as he thought with his affections for Buck. They only worked together for a short time but it was as if she could see right through him anyway. And she was having a hell of a lot of fun getting on his nerves about it.

She really was like the third older sister he never wanted.

"Seriously, Eddie," Chimney said, this time more serious. "Are you ever going to ask him out?"

This is why he appreciated his friends so much. They constantly teased him about his giant crush on Buck that he'd accidentally let slip after one too many drinks during that whole lawsuit nonsense, but they had his back when it counted.

"I will," Eddie said, though he knew he didn't sound very confident in his resolution. "I'm just waiting for the perfect moment."

And his self imposed timer was quickly running out.

When Buck had surprised them all with a Christmas dinner last year, had brought their families together because they were all stuck at work, Eddie knew for sure that he had feelings for Buck that ran far deeper than just friendship. He'd passed it off as simple attraction before, tried not to think about it too much but when he found out that Buck went through so much trouble so that Eddie could see his son? He was a goner. There was no denying it anymore.

So, he'd made himself a promise. By next Christmas, he was going to tell Buck about his feelings. He'd made so many plans but nothing ever felt right. He always either chickened out or they got interrupted and before he knew it, it was already December and he had to act fast.

He figured that maybe getting together under the mistletoe would be a perfect solution to his troubles. One kiss would lead to more and things would just progress naturally from there. It was the easy way out but while Eddie liked to consider himself a brave man, he was not good with his words. And it wasn't like he could just go up to Buck and kiss him without a word. That didn't feel right either.

He wanted Buck to want to kiss him back, mistletoe or not.

And at the beginning of the month, he was sure he was right and that they both wanted the same thing. It was the little things, the way he sometimes caught Buck staring at him or the way they touched one another way more than typical friends would.

Now, he wasn't even sure that confessing his feelings to Buck was a good idea at all. He was confident in his own feelings but – and maybe this was all just in his head – it seemed that Buck was almost avoiding him lately. Even when they made their way up for lunch that afternoon, instead of going with them, Buck hesitated and said he'd join them later even though his stomach had been growling for nearly an hour leading up to it.

They still hung out outside of work like nothing had changed but when at the station, he was barely around him. Maybe it was purely coincidental, but he couldn't help but think how the behavior started out around the same time that the mistletoe first showed up in the station.

"There is no such thing as _the_ perfect moment," Hen said, breaking him out of his thoughts. "You just have to go for it and hope for the best. Don't wait too long or you might lose your chance."

Hen was right and Eddie knew it. Buck was certainly the center of attention this holiday season, with his pretty face and perfect body and with an air of cheer that followed him everywhere he went. People were asking him out left and right and it was only a matter of time before he said yes to someone who wasn't Eddie.

Decision made, Eddie pushed his half eaten plate away and stood up.

"Now?" Hen said, incredulous. "You're doing it now? In the middle of the shift?"

"Why not?" Eddie shrugged, peering down from the loft and trying to locate Buck who just so happened to be making his way up the stairs towards them. Perfect timing.

He stood on top of the stairs, waiting for Buck to reach him, his heart going haywire in anticipation. But Buck never quite reached him. Instead, he came to a stop just a few steps away from the top and stared at Eddie with mild panic.

Confused, Eddie asked, "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Buck quickly said, looking kind of shifty. "I just came to get my phone. I think I left it somewhere around here?"

This was it. This was the moment. Eddie took a deep breath and braced himself. "When you find it, could you come join me down in the training room? I wanted to talk to you about something. In private," he added because Hen and Chimney were looking at them without shame, quite literally at the edge of their seats. 

"Sure," Buck agreed but then didn't move. Eddie raised his eyebrow at him. "What?"

Eddie stepped to the side and gestured for Buck to move up and get past him but Buck only bit at his lip and looked down at his feet.

"You're being weird. Did you hit your head on the last call or something?"

it wouldn't be the first time. Buck was still tragically tight lipped about his own injuries, even after everything that happened. No one would know he was even hurting until he literally passed out in front of them. It was one of his most frustrating traits.

"I'm fine," Buck insisted, but he looked far too nervous for Eddie to believe him. Before he had a chance to push for a truthful answer about Buck's odd behavior, Buck's eyes did a quick flick upwards and then back to Eddie, looking almost apologetic and Eddie stiffened. With dread slowly building deep in his gut, he tilted his head up and that was when he saw it. A sprig of mistletoe hanging innocently right above his head.

Suddenly it all made sense. Why Buck seemed like he was avoiding him, why he was being so weird about it now.

All this time Eddie thought it was fate messing with him, putting other people in Buck's path instead of him. But instead, his exclusion was very much deliberate.

Because Buck didn't have a problem kissing random people, as he'd gladly demonstrated to anyone who was willing to participate. It was just Eddie who he decidedly did not want to kiss.

And that was what stung most of all.

Anger had always been his coping mechanism when he was hurt, and it came crashing over him in waves. He wanted answers, he wanted to know the truth. Maybe Buck didn't want to kiss him so it wouldn't make their friendship weird? But he was also friends with Hen and Chimney and he didn't have any trouble kissing them. For fucks sake, he even kissed _Bobby_. What was it about kissing Eddie that made him so uncomfortable?

Unless... unless he knew about Eddie's feelings for him and didn't want to give Eddie any wrong ideas. But it was far too late for that now. Eddie was already in too deep.

"So kissing me is where you draw the line, huh?" Eddie said. "Good to know."

"Eddie-" Buck tried but Eddie didn't want to hear it, didn't want empty platitudes and pity. He already felt humiliated enough. For a moment there, he actually managed to convince himself that Buck felt the same way. Thankfully, he found this out before he made an absolute fool of himself and poured his heart out for Buck to see just how deep his feelings ran and that just friendship was never going to be enough for him.

Things would eventually go back to normal, he'd make sure of it, but right now he needed a moment to himself. He had to get out of here, as far away from Buck he could get.

Buck tried reaching for him as he started down the stairs but Eddie pulled harshly out of his pleading grip and barreled on downstairs.

"Eddie! Wait!" Buck called after him, the sound of his footsteps rattling behind him as he struggled to catch up. Whatever it was, he didn't want to hear it. He had enough heartbreak for one day.

The bell rang and Eddie let out a breath of relief. He put all of his feelings into a tightly locked box in his head as he rushed to grab his gear and towards the truck. Right now, he needed to focus only on the job and nothing else. Not even Buck. 

*

The call turned out to be an upturned truck on the overpass carrying a variety of Christmas decorations, judging by the items strewn all over the length of the road. How very festive.

Eddie focused on putting away the gear they'd used to cut the driver out of his cabin, ignoring the puppy eyes Buck had been aiming his way since they left the station. He saw a sprig of mistletoe on the ground and took vicious pleasure at stomping it further into the ground with his heavy boots.

It was irrational to blame a plant over his love troubles but he had to blame _something_ and it was easier than blaming himself or Buck.

"Eddie," Buck said, coming to stand by his side. "We should talk."

"I'm in the middle of something here." Though when Eddie looked down, he'd already put everything back to its place and there was nothing to do. Frustrated, he turned around and started walking away. Yes, he was being childish and no, he didn't care.

But Buck had long ago gotten immune to Eddie's temperamental outbursts and simply followed after him, not deterred in the slightest. By the time he caught up with Eddie, he was already under the overpass and picking up his gloves that he'd dropped at some point during the rescue.

"Would you just listen to me for one second?" Buck all but growled, growing frustrated and Eddie spun around to face him.

"What's there to talk about? I think you've made yourself perfectly clear."

"Sir! Wait!" he heard Hen yell out from above and looked up.

"I just need to check on the decorations!" The man Eddie recognized as the truck driver said. What was he doing out of the ambulance? He had at least a few broken bones and possible internal bleeding.

Both of them looked on in shock as the man somehow managed to open the mangled door of the truck before Hen and Chimney could get to him and started rifling through the many crammed boxes in there, the colorful plastic ornaments cracking under his weight.

"Yes!" The man exclaimed, coming out of the truck with a cardboard box clutched in his hands. "Not everything is ruined!"

Eddie watched in growing horror as the man slipped on the mess left of the ornaments in his excitement, the box flying out of his hands and going high up in the air before gravity took over and sent it pummeling down. The box opened midair and Buck and Eddie bent over and covered their heads to protect themselves as the items inside it rained down over them.

Eddie was expecting at least some pain, sharp ornaments or some heavy ceramic decorations but reality was so much worse. He opened his eyes and realized that he and Buck have literally been showered with nothing other than goddamn mistletoe. It was all around them, covering the ground and caught onto their hair and gear.

Screw you too, universe. Eddie was so not in the mood. 

Eddie turned to Buck who looked just as shocked as Eddie felt. Only Buck's shock was quickly followed by amusement, his lips turning up into a grin as shook off the mistletoe from his hair.

"This feels like a sign, doesn't it?" he asked, chuckling as he stepped closer to Eddie. 

“Don’t even think about kissing me,” Eddie told him and Buck’s grin faded into something far more heartbreaking. It made him feel like a dick but this was not something he was able to joke about quite yet. 

“It’s just a peck, Eddie,” Buck insisted, wringing his hands together in an unusual show of nerves. “It doesn’t have to mean anything.”

“That’s exactly why I don’t want it!” Eddie finally blew up, words coming out far louder and honest than he’d ever intended. It had been a long, emotionally taxing day and he couldn’t bring himself to tip toe around his feelings any longer. “I don’t want a pity kiss.” He lowered his voice, suddenly exhausted. “I want you to _want_ to kiss me. And not just do it because you feel guilty about not doing it sooner.”

Because Buck had made it perfectly clear that he had no interest in actually kissing him, not even on the cheek which he saw him do with his friends all the time. And doing it out of obligation would be the final blow for Eddie’s already fragile heart.

“It’s not a pity kiss, Eddie,” Buck said, stepping forwards even closer until he was close enough to touch. Eddie didn't step away this time, didn't run but he couldn't bring himself to face Buck either. He put himself out there and he was terrified of what Buck’s response would be. “I’m pretty sure that it would be the best, most significant kiss of my life." He let out a long breath. "Which is exactly why I’ve been avoiding it.”

Eddie frowned, finally daring to look up and meet Buck's eyes. “What are you talking about?”

He watched Buck gulp, hands fisted at his side but the brave idiot didn't look away for a single moment. He faced Eddie head on as he said, “I’ve been thinking about what it would feel like to kiss you since pretty much the day we met. And doing it just as a joke didn’t feel right. Because I know that I wouldn’t be able to stop at just one kiss when I finally got a taste. The last thing I wanted was to ruin things between us because I couldn’t control myself.” He shrugged. “Avoiding temptation seemed like the best option.”

“Buck…” Eddie trailed off, dazed by the confession. Was he hearing this right? Did Eddie happen to hit his head during the call and not even realize it? Because this felt even more surreal than the coincidence of this crazy call. It simply sounded too good to be true.

“Judging by your reaction today, I think we might be on the same page,” Buck said, reaching out with his hand and gently picking out the mistletoe still caught in Eddie's hair. “I know we should probably talk about this like actual mature adults but first, I believe I owe you a kiss."

Eddie pointedly glanced around them and said, "I believe you owe me several kisses. A few dozen, at the very least."

it was a once in the lifetime kind of scenario so why waste the opportunity? Besides, Eddie was kind of done talking for the day. All they ever did was _talk_. And now that he knew that Buck actually wanted to kiss him, why bother denying them both?

Not giving Buck any chance to change his mind, Eddie grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket and pulled him into a crushing kiss. All of his doubts about Buck not feeling the same disappeared when Buck immediately responded to the kiss with equal enthusiasm and it wasn’t until they heard the familiar horn of the firetruck that they pulled apart with a jump.

“Congratulations on finally getting your shit together, but we really need to get this guy to a hospital before he breaks something else,” Hen said and the two of them break into a run back towards the truck, the training kicking in.

“Yeah,” Chimney piped in, smirking. “Save the making out for later.”

“What are you smirking about?” Hen asked. “You do know that the next time you meet with Buck under the mistletoe and have to kiss him, Eddie’s going to kill you, right?”

Chimney’s eyes widened in terror. “Oh shit. I didn’t think about that.”

“Don’t worry, Chim.” Eddie patted him on the shoulder, giving him a toothy grin. “I’ll go easy on you. Just, you know, watch where you’re going.” He squeezed his shoulder a little too tight for comfort and barely repressed a laugh at Chimneys horrified look.

“Eddie!” Buck laughed, knocking their shoulders together as they piled into the truck and took their usual seats. “Don’t be a dick. Though I do have to say that Chimney does have the crazy ability to come to stand next to me at the worst possible time. It’s like he _wants_ to kiss me.”

Hen hummed her agreement and Chimney let out an outraged sound of protest.

“Okay, let me list out all of the reasons as to why I’d _never_ do that on purpose. Number one – Maddie. Obviously. Even though she seems to think this is hilarious for whatever reason. But nevertheless-“

They all laughed as Chimney continued on with his rant and Eddie reached out for Buck’s hand, mostly to assure himself that this was real and not just in his imagination, despite all of the evidence proving otherwise. Buck squeezed his hand, giving Eddie that small smile of his that finally helped settle Eddie’s pent up annoyance. For the most part, anyway.

“No more mistletoe,” he said, an order that had Buck smirking.

“Not even at your place? That seems a bit harsh.”

Eddie sighed. “Fine. Maybe a little mistletoe couldn’t hurt.”

He wasn’t exactly a fan of the plant right now but for Buck, he was willing to put up with it. As long as he was the only one who got to reap the reward from its presence, they would be just fine.


End file.
